Let's Go to the Video Tape!

The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition Let’s Go to the Video Tape!

FOCUS AUDIO/VISUAL MATERIALS Characteristics of biological communities on deep- None water reef habitats TEACHING TIME GRADE LEVEL One 45-minute class period 9-12 (Life Science) SEATING ARRANGEMENT FOCUS QUESTION Groups of 2-4 students How do species diversity and number of biological organisms vary among deep-water reef habitats? MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS 30 LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will be able to recognize and identify KEY WORDS some of the fauna groups found in deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa reef communities. Deep-water coral Habitat Students will be able to infer possible reasons for Biological diversity observed distribution of groups of animals in deep- Diversity index sea coral reef communities. Species richness Species evenness Students will be able to discuss the meaning of “biological diversity,” and will be able to compare BACKGROUND INFORMATION and contrast the concepts of “variety” and “relative Deep-water coral reefs were discovered in the Gulf abundance” as they relate to biological diversity. of Mexico nearly 50 years ago, but very little is known about the ecology of these communities or Given abundance and distribution data of species, the basic biology of the corals that produce them. students will be able to calculate an appropriate In contrast, deep-water coral reefs near the coasts numeric indicator that describes the biological of Europe have been intensively studied, and scien- diversity of a community. tists have found a great abundance and variety of species associated with these communities. Lophelia MATERIALS pertusa is the dominant coral species in these  Copies of “Results of a Video Survey on a Deep- communities. Technically, Lophelia is ahermatypic water Lophelia Reef,” one copy for each student (non-reef-building), but branches of living coral group grow on mounds of dead coral branches that can be several meters deep and hundreds of meters 1 The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats oceanexplorer.noaa.gov oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats

long. Unlike hermatypic corals that produce reefs in directly from a manned submersible. In this lesson, shallower waters, Lophelia does not have symbiotic students will analyze data from a similar study, and algae and receives nutrition from plankton and make inferences about factors that may affect the particulate material captured by its polyps from the distribution of organisms on and around Lophelia surrounding water. Lophelia mounds alter the flow reefs. of currents and provide habitats for a variety of filter feeders. Several commercially-important spe- LEARNING PROCEDURE cies are associated with Lophelia reefs in European 1. Briefly review Background Iinformation on the waters, and scientists suspect that the same may Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition, be true for deep-water reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. and deep-water reefs. Be sure students under- But they don’t know for sure, because most of these stand that these reefs have a high diversity of communities are almost entirely unexplored. species and large number of individual organisms like coral reefs in shallower water, but Most reports of Lophelia reefs in the Gulf of Mexico are virtually unexplored in the Gulf of Mexico. were the result of investigations directed toward Compare and contrast deep-water reef corals hydrocarbon seepage and/or chemosynthetic com- (e.g., Lophelia pertusa) with reef-building corals munities. Scientists studying deep-water reefs on in shallow water. Visit http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ the Norwegian continental shelf have found that explorations/islands01/background/islands/sup10_lophelia.html many large Lophelia banks occur at sites where for more background on Lophelia reefs. there were relatively high levels of light hydrocar- bons present in the sediments. The reason for this 2. Review the concept of biological diversity. Two correlation is not known, nor is it known whether measurements are frequently used by scientists to a similar correlation exists in the hydrocarbon-rich describe the abundance of species and individu- Gulf of Mexico. als within an area (or environment): • Species Diversity (S) - the number of spe- As scientists have begun to learn more about cies in the environment; and Lophelia reefs, there is increasing concern that • Species Evenness (or equitability) - a these reefs and their associated resources may be measure of how evenly individuals are distrib- in serious danger. Many investigations have report- uted among these species. Evenness is greatest ed large-scale damage due to commercial fishing when species are equally abundant. trawlers, and there is also concern about damage that might result from exploration and extraction The simplest measure of species diversity is the of fossil fuels. The primary objectives of the Gulf of number of species present in an environment. Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition are: This is called “species richness”. But there is more • to locate deep-water coral reefs in the Gulf of to diversity than just the number of species in an Mexico; environment. A community that has more or less • to describe biological communities and geolog- equal numbers of individuals within the species ical features associated with these reefs; and present is usually thought of as more diverse than • to improve our understanding of the ecology of a community that is dominated by one species. Lophelia and deep-water reef communities. For example, samples from two separate communities might each contain the same seven species, Scientists on the expedition plan to make extensive with distribution of individuals as follows: use of video recordings to document fauna associated with Lophelia reefs, since bottom time is too limited to completely observe these organisms

2 3 The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats oceanexplorer.noaa.gov oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats

Species Number of Individuals Where: H is the diversity index Community 1 Community 2 ln is the natural logarithm Species a 44 8 i is an index number for each species present in Species b 2 8 a sample Species c 2 8 pi is the number of individuals within a species Species d 2 8 (ni) divided by the total number of individuals Species e 2 8 (N) present in the entire sample Species f 2 8 To calculate the diversity index H, you multi- Species g 2 8 ply the proportion ( p ) of each species in the Total 56 56 i sample times the natural log of that same value Our notion of what “diversity” means leads us (ln pi), then sum (Σ) the values for each species, to consider Community 2 as more diverse than and finally multiply by minus 1. Community 1, even though they both have the same number of species and total individuals. [NOTE: You The table below illustrates the calculation. can demonstrate this more tangibly with an activity from The Moonsnail Project’s mini-lecture on diver- Species diversity is often used as a measure of sity at http://www.moonsnail.org/Mini_Diversity.htm; this site environmental health. A stressed environment also has a related activity demonstrating the effect of typically has a lower number of species with sample size on diversity estimates] one or two species (those adapted to the stress) having many more individuals than the other Because of the importance of both species evenness species. Species diversity tends to increase at the and species richness to our idea of diversity, some edges of environments (ecotones) where condi- measures of diversity include a way of including tions are more variable. For more background both concepts. One commonly used measure of spe- on species diversity, visit the Moonsnail Project’s cies diversity that includes proportions of individuals mini-lecture on diversity (referenced above), and is the Shannon-Weaver information function which the Arbor Project’s web page on bird biodiversity is: at http://www.cees.iupui.edu/Outreach/SEAM/Biodiversity_

H = -Σ pi ln pi Exercise.htm.

Number of Proportion ln(pi) piln(pi)

Individuals (pi) Species a 3 3÷47 = 0.064 -2.749 0.064 • -2.749 = -.176 Species b 5 5÷47 = 0.106 -2.244 0.106 • -2.244 = -.238 Species c 10 10÷47 = 0.213 -1.546 0.213 • -1.546 = -.329 Species d 6 6÷47 = 0.128 -2.056 0.128 • -2.056 = -.263 Species e 12 12÷47 = 0.255 -1.366 0.255 • -1.366 = -.348 Species f 7 7÷47 = 0.149 -1.904 0.149 • -1.904 = -.284 Species g 4 4÷47 = 0.085 -2.465 0.085 • -2.465 = -.123

Total 47 -1.761 (= Σpi ln pi)

H -1 • Σpi ln pi = 1.761

So, the diversity index H = 1.761.

3. Provide students or student groups with copies habitat was confined to this habitat alone, but of “Results of a Video Survey on a Deep-water also occurred in Lophelia and/or the silt/clay Lophelia Reef.” Tell students that they are to habitats. Studies of other Lophelia reefs have compare the communities of macrofauna on the shown that biological communities on these reefs five habitats, and make inferences about pos- are not unique to Lophelia habitats, but usually sible causes for patterns they observe. Say that occur elsewhere as well. they should consider total number of species and the biological diversity (calculated as explained Invite students to comment on the video survey above) in each habitat. You may want to assign methodology. Students should realize that this one or two habitats to each group to reduce technique gives only a partial picture of the com- the time required to do the diversity calcula- munities being studied. Two obvious examples tions. Students should consider “unidentified” are microbial organisms and organisms dwelling organisms as representing one species, and omit with the sediments. Both are invisible to the video unquantified species from diversity calculations. camera, but almost certainly present. Both groups Each group should prepare a brief written report are very important components of many deep- in which they summarize their results and make sea bottom communities and are probably pres- inferences about factors that may affect the distri- ent in large numbers. Inclusion of these species bution organisms in these habitats. could significantly change the overall impression of the biological communities associated with 4. Lead a discussion of students’ results and infer- these habitats. ences. Students should observe that diversity was highest in the dead Lophelia habitat, and lowest THE BRIDGE CONNECTION on the silt/clay bottom. Possible explanations http://www.vims.edu/bridge/reef.html for this are that dead Lophelia would provide a great deal of spatial variety and consequently THE “ME” CONNECTION many different types of shelter that could accom- Have students write a short essay describing the modate a wide range of organisms. Living major groups of organisms in their own biological Lophelia habitats might have a similar spatial community, and how they are connected to other variety, but the living corals might have defense communities. mechanisms to reduce competition for space with other species. The silt/clay bottom would obvi- CONNECTIONS TO OTHER SUBJECTS ously have much less spatial variety, few solid English/Language Arts points of attachment for sessile species, and could present fouling problems for filter feeders. EVALUATION Written reports prepared in Step 4 provide an The Lophelia rubble habitat had the lowest num- opportunity for assessment. ber of species, but the highest average density of individuals. This suggests that this habitat may be EXTENSIONS unsuitable for many of the species found in other Log on to http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov to keep up to date habitats. Since species that can live in the rubble with the latest Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats environment face less competition from other spe- Expedition discoveries, and to find out what cies, more individuals of rubble-tolerant species researchers are learning about deep-water coral could exist in this habitat. communities.

None of the species observed in the mixed stone Assign one or more of the biological groups found

4 5 The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats oceanexplorer.noaa.gov oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats

in these habitats to each student group, and have FOR MORE INFORMATION the groups prepare short presentations on their Paula Keener-Chavis, National Education assigned group including a description of the ani- Coordinator/Marine Biologist mal, habitat, food source(s) and feeding habits and NOAA Office of Exploration an illustration. 2234 South Hobson Avenue Charleston, SC 29405-2413 RESOURCES 843.740.1338 843.740.1329 (fax) http://oceanica.cofc.edu/activities.htm – Project Oceanica [email protected] website, with a variety of resources on ocean exploration topics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This lesson plan was produced by Mel Goodwin, Roberts, S. and M. Hirshfield. Deep Sea Corals: PhD, The Harmony Project, Charleston, SC for the Out of sight but no longer out of mind. http: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. //www.oceana.org/uploads/oceana_coral_report.pdf If reproducing this lesson, please cite NOAA as the — Background on deep-water coral reefs source, and provide the following URL: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Mortensen, P. B., M. Hovland, T. Brattegard, and R. Farestveit. 1995. Deep water bioherms of the scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa (L) on the Norwegian shelf: Structure and associated megafauna. Sarsia 80:145-158. – The technical journal article upon which this activity is based

NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understandings about scientific inquiry

Content Standard C: Life Science • Interdependence of organisms

Content Standard F: Science in Personal & Social Perspectives • Natural resources • Environmental quality

4 5 The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats

Student Handout Student Handout

Results of a Video Survey on a Deep-water Lophelia Reef (adapted from Mortensen, et al., 1995)

Density of Individuals (No. of Individuals/10m2)

Organism Silt/Clay Mixed Lophelia Dead Living Bottom Stone Rubble Lophelia Lophelia

Porifera Crustose sponges * * * * * Other sponges * * * * * Phakellia ventilabrum 0.17 1.98 0.44 0.67 0.03 Isops phlegraei 0.10 2.19 0.13 1.41 0.81 Axinella infundibuliformis 0.03 0.29 0.31 0.17 Geodia sp. 0.07

Cnidaria Cerianthus lloydii * 0.01 Paragorgia arborea 0.04 0.03 0.28 0.43 Paramuricea placomus 0.02 0.05 0.19 Trachymuricea kuekenthali 0.10 0.07 Primnoa resedaeformis 0.01 0.29 0.69 Actinostola callosa 0.02 0.07 Bolocera tuediae 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.10 0.09 Unidentified anthozoa 0.03 Unidentified stylasterid 0.01 0.02 Unidentified hydroid * 0.01

Polychaeta Unidentified sabellid 0.02 0.03

Crustacea Unidentified brachyuran * Lithodes maja 0.01 * Munida sarsi 0.34 0.29 4.03 0.33 0.31

Echiuridae Unidentified Echiuridae 0.02 0.02 0.090 0.03 0.31

Mollusca Neptunea despecta * Acesta excavata 0.04 0.14 0.52

Bryozoa Unidentified bryozoan 0.03

The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) The Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Habitats Expedition – Grades 9-12 (Life Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Characteristics of biological communities on deep-water reef habitats

Student Handout Student Handout (continued)

Density of Individuals (No. of Individuals/10m2)

Organism Silt/Clay Mixed Lophelia Dead Living Bottom Stone Rubble Lophelia Lophelia

Echinodermata Unidentified asteroid 0.03 0.01 Cidaris cidaris 0.02 0.02 0.12 0.04 Hathrometra sarsii 0.06 0.03 0.19 Henricia sanguinolenta 0.14 0.07 0.03 0.12 0.11 Unidentified ophiuroid 0.02 0.03 Parastichopus tremulus 0.08 0.02

Teleostei Pollachiusvirens 1.10 1.39 3.25 3.03 1.15 Brosme brosme 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.03 Sebastes sp. 0.07 0.33 0.78 0.90 2.61 Chimaera monstrosa 0.03 * Gadus morhua 0.01 Unidentified teleost 0.09 0.02 *

* – present but not quantified